95 



gardens is some of the brightest,) though they have had little 

 inclination to the practice of gardening itself. There remains 

 nothing that I have heard of his putting gardening actually 

 into practice himself; but some of his last works being obser- 

 vations on several scarce plants mentioned in Scripture; and 

 of Garlands and Coronary garden plants and flowers, 'tis 

 reasonable to suppose he did; and the love he had so early 

 and late discovered toward it, was completed in the delightful 

 practice thereof." He further says, " his elaborate and in- 

 genious pen has not a little added to the nobleness of our 

 subject."* His works were published in 1 vol. folio, 1686, 

 with his portrait, engraved by White. His portrait appears 

 also to his "Certain Miscellany Tracts," 8vo. A list of his 

 numerous works may be seen in the Biogr. Dictionaires, or 

 in Watts's Bibl. Britt. To his " Christian Morals," Dr. John- 

 son has prefixed his Life. It is so masterly written, that it 

 is impossible to give even an abstract. Dr. Kippis has/how- 

 ever, in part, transcribed it. He was chosen Honorary 

 Fellow of the College of Physicians, as a man virtute et literas 



* Mr. London, in his Encycl. of Gardening, fondly reviews the taste for 

 flowers which pervaded most ranks during the time of Elizabeth, and Evelyn. 



The Spectacle de la Nature, of which we have a translation in 1740, has 

 a richly diffuse chapter on flowers. I here transcribe a small part thereof: 



Prior. " The beauty of flowers never fails to inspire us with joy ; and when 

 we have sufficiently examined the fairest, we are sensible they are only proper 

 to refresh the sight; and, indeed, the prospect they afford is so touching, and 

 we experience their power to be so effectual, that the generality of those arts 

 which are ambitious to please, seem most successful when they borrow their 

 assistance. Sculpture imitates them in its softest ornaments; architecture 

 bestows the embellishments of leaves and festoons on those columns and 

 fronts, which would otherwise be too naked. The richest embroideries are 

 little more than foliage and flowers; the most magnificent silks are almost 

 covered with these charming forms, and are thought beautiful, in proportion 

 as they resemble the lively tinge of natural flowers. 



"These have always been the symbols, or representations of joy; they 

 were formerly the inseparable ornaments of feasts, and are sfill introduced 

 with applause, toward the close of our entertainments, when they are brought 



